


Before the Eyes of Storytelling Girls

by karrenia_rune



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Bonds, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Oaths, Pre-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 15:38:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1134420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at the friendship and bond between Aeneas and Cassandra in the time before the siege of Troy, and its ramifications.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Eyes of Storytelling Girls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ViaLethe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViaLethe/gifts).



> The title was inspired by the Anais Mitchell song by the same name.

"Before the Eyes of Storytelling Girls" by karrenia_rune

He called her little sister even though they were not actually related by blood, and at first, it warmed her inside and out because it was an affectionate bond, a secret that they shared just between the two of them, without any oversight or expectations of favors given or received. She, in turn, thought of him as the older brother that she had never had. 

As a children, even though he was several times over her elder, it was a game, of sharing and laughter, and of him coaxing a shy and timid gangly young girl up onto the wall and sharing a basket of grapes and watered wine and other delicacies, along with stories of the court, some accurate, some bawdy, some that made her blush and others that drove her to tears of merriment. He had a nimble mind, a quick wit and sometimes acerbic tongue.

She could still recall the one time they had been doing just that, sitting on the wall, sharing a clump of ripe purple grapes, the sky to the west darkening to the first mantling of evening, when Aeneas remarked, “How fitting it is that your eyes just now match the color of the sky.”

Cassandra popped the last grape into her mouth and then reached for the white linen napkin that she had left folded in her lap before she replied, holding back an unlady-like belch before she replied. “Flattery, brother, but spoken so well.”

“I have to practice, Gods know, and it is true, you do have beautiful eyes.”

She began to laugh, but suddenly began to choke. Aeneas, becoming concerned for her, picked her up bodily and quickly clambered down from their perch, carrying her down the wall, and set her down a bench built into the base of the wall. 

The coughing fit soon came to an end, but her eyes did not focus on his face or on their surroundings, instead, they had rolled back until only the whites showed and it was as if her mind had ranged far afield, without taking her body along for the ride. 

Instead she saw the plain just outside the great hill where the city of Troy stood perched, it was dawn instead of night, and ranged far above it was the Sun God, straddling the plain with a broad smile on his face, beckoning to her.

She had always known that the gods were so much more than any mere mortal, but she had never expected this.”Come, little one, you are beautiful, and soon you will be mine.”

Cassandra shivered from head to toe, but since this was a kind of waking dream, she certainly should not have had a body to feel, except that in the silence of her mind, this vision, this dream or whatever it was, she felt simultaneously terrified and fascinated. 

The Sun God smiled and beckoned once more, and then the dream-vision came to an abrupt end.

“What happened? Little sister, talk to me!” In all the years that they had known each other, he had never seen her like this, and if truth be told, it frightened him a little bit. Swords and shields, men on foot and on horseback, knifes, and maces he understood and knew how to fight; but this, this was unknown territory.

Cassandra blinked and gasped, sitting up; the shivering and the apprehension that she had only felt on the edge of her own awareness suddenly much acuter now that she was back in her own body. “Oh, Aeneas, I cannot begin to explain, not to you, not to anyone; not now.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, looking up into his face, studying its every line and angle, and then implored, “Just hold me.”

He did so wondering what had happened, and if it might happen again.  
**  
When she had grown out of her first maiden-hood it became apparent that she would be called to the Sun God such interludes soon became few and far between, but Aeneas still referred to her as his 'little sister. 

That initial episode was soon closely followed on the heels of others, some close together, some few and far between, but always they would come, and soon, it became apparent that she was marked as Apollo's own. And when she was a maiden and a girl no longer she was sent to the Temple of the Sun, and her life as she had known it, changed forever.

Meanwhile Aeneas' duties to the House of Priam and the city of Troy kept his visits longer but few and far between, and still she cherished them as she would treasure a rare and splendid jewel. 

When she thought that the gift of foreseeing that what, where and when was more a curse than a blessing, it was something solid to which to cling in a world of shadows and incense and the close confines of the Temple of the Sun God. 

Over the years, when she was no longer a girl but a young woman, of long-lashes and wheat-golden hair that had rarely been cut and allowed brushed and combed until it much resembled a wheat field rippling in the wind.  
Cassandra believed that she had reconciled herself to her new lot, but every so often she would indulge herself in small acts of defiance. Establishing a kind of communication between herself and her best friend, and in that, she would take comfort.

If the other keepers of the Temple discovered her secret communiques they either did not notice and even if they did chose to take a blind eye to it. If the God felt that it was in defiance of His Will, who was she to care?  
**

 

“A prophetess took my hand and swore to me that we'd be true to each other, and I turn took that for truth, but now we see through as through a glass darkly, and while we are now far apart in body, we are still close in spirit. If you believe me insane to believe that, know this for a truth separate and apart from the bonds of flesh and blood; a girl of grace and beauty made that oath with me, and I shall not betray that oath.” 

“And you believe that, so strongly, do you?” asked Hector.

“I do,” replied Aeneas.

“Then, there is nothing more to be said about it, “ replied Hector, tapping his fingers against the polished bronze shiled that hung on the wall of his chambers, silent for a moment, before he turned back to regard his visitor once more, and then added softly, but not unkindly, “ I fear that a time may come when you will be forced to choose between what it was you want and the love and loyalty your bear our dear Cassandra.”

“Hmmph, mayhap you may be correct in that assessment, but it does make me wonder if the gift of prophecy runs in the blood of the House Of Troy.”

“Carfeul, man, that nimble mind and quick tongue of yours may be much admired in the councils but it could just as easily cause offense, and to your regret.” Hector replied evenly. He knew himself for a man slow and stern, careful in his thoughts and deeds, but capable of explosive and decisive action when the situation demanded it. And it was for that very reason that he now cautioned this new ally of his beloved city to temperance where his sister was concerned. It was not as if he believed that Aeneas harbored any improper or impure thoughts towards the gril, oh, no, not noble, tall, dark and handsome Aeneas, but all the same, caution was necessary.

“Is that a threat?” Aeneas demanded sternly.

“No, merely a friendly warning, “ replied Hector sincerely.

“And I shall take it as such,” Aeneas replied frostily, with as much of courtesy and respect as he could manage under the circumstances, before turning on his heel and departing the prince's private chambers.


End file.
